Sorcerer in Trouble
by wholockerlian
Summary: Merlin is captured and Arthur comes to the rescue, but realizes that his friend is a sorcerer. When he sees Merlin use magic to help him escape, Arthur is conflicted. Eventual Mergana, there also might be some Arwen. No slash.
1. No Longer Friends?

**Disclaimer: don't own no one. Or nothing. (I wish.)**

**Warnings: graphic descriptions of physical abuse.**

**If people like this, then I will continue with how they got themselves into this situation, and how (if they did) they got out of them. If I do continue, it won't be a deathfic. **

* * *

When Arthur saw Merlin he didn't recognize him. His too-cheerful servant, his friend, had been reduced to this? A limp mass of cuts, bruises, and blood chained to two posts. No, it was impossible. And yet, here he was.

Arthur ran up to Merlin and wrapped his arms around him, still holding his bloodied sword. He lifted his face and saw Merlin's eyes flutter open.

"Arthur?"

"Merlin. Can you stand? We need to go! Merlin! My gods, what did they do to you?" Arthur frantically shook him as Merlin suddenly convulsed. He breathed a sigh of relief when Merlin opened his eyes again.

"Um, I'm not sure. It involved knives." He could barely be heard! If those people weren't dead yet, they would wish they were! Arthur checked on Merlin's injuries, when he suddenly saw a softly-glowing collar around his friend's neck. And that collar could only mean one thing.

Arthur let go of Merlin as if he'd been burnt. The sorcerer looked up, slowly understanding.

"Arthur, I'm sorry. It's not my fault."

"You, you're- you..."

Merlin convulsed again, and Arthur almost hugged him again. Almost. The warlock hung limp and muttered, "Kill me."

"What?" All thoughts had been blocked out by the fact that his servant was a sorcerer.

"Kill me, please, Arth- Sire."

Silence. Maybe he didn't care that he was a sorcerer... Maybe that didn't matter? No, what mattered was that Merlin had lied. But... But he was also hanging there and asking for his death.

"Kill me!"

Arthur raised his sword, then shook his head and started lowering it slowly.

"KILL ME." Merlin's eyes glowed gold for a moment and Arthur's sword lunged out of his grip, piercing Merlin as he screamed. Whether it was from the sword wound or the suddenly red-hot collar, Arthur didn't know.

What he did know that if he hadn't started to lower his sword, Merlin would be dead.

"No," The King backed away, nearly tripping, "no."

"Please, kill me."

Arthur turned and started walking back to the door.

"You're going to leave me?" Arthur didn't answer. He was afraid to open his mouth.

"Arthur." He continued walking.

"Arthur!" He finally turned and looked at Merlin, tied to the posts, bleeding. "I didn't do it. I wouldn't do it."

"I know, Merlin."

"Please, Arthur, please..."

He started walking again.

"No. Arthur!" When his King didn't react, he said, "I won't do it. You can still leave me here, but I won't do it."

"I know, don't worry. I know."

"Arthur?"

"What?"

"Please."

He silently started walking back to the door.

"ARTHUR!"

Arthur just kept walking.

"Arthur, tell- tell Gaius. Please, just tell Gaius." Arthur instantly regretted it when he faced his servant, who looked so resigned and apologetic. He didn't want to pity him.

"I will, Merlin."

They both flinched at the sound of feet (a lot of feet) from a closed door behind Merlin.

"Run! Arthur, GO!"

"Merlin,"

"GO!" The warlock's voice was more of a roar.

Just as the guards burst into the room, Merlin's eyes flashed gold again and the ceiling collapsed neatly in a sort of barricade between Merlin and Arthur. The King heard his friend scream. The collar must have burned. Strangely, Arthur was reminded of a time when a wounded Merlin was trapped with bandits after a freak rock fall...

He heard Merlin scream again and flinched, coming to his senses and running for his life.

* * *

**So, what do you think? To continue or not to continue? As I said, if I do, Merlin won't be left at the mercy of... whoever took him. And I'll explain about how they got there.**

**Also, any pointers would be nice. **


	2. An Old Friend

**Ok, so I decided to post what I have so far let people see if they like it. So do you like it? **

**Right, disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.**

**Warning: May be a little graphic (not much).**

* * *

"Well, sorcerer, how does it feel to know that your last hope, your precious little _king_ left you here to rot?"

Merlin mumbled something inaudible.

"What was that?" The man smiled a sickly sweet smile.

"I said, he isn't little."

"Did you now?" The man stepped up and kneed his captive in the ribs. "What do you say now?"

"Only _-wheeze- _that, you _-wheeze-_ wouldn't need to -_wheeze-_ do that to me if you could to some -_wheeze- _to someone your size."

"Do you think you're brave, boy?"

"Only compared to you." *****

"Hand me that knife, will you?"

* * *

_Several months later._

"He won't break."

"Everyone breaks."

"It's been a year."

What they didn't know was that the warlock had already broken. He'd broken when Arthur left. What hadn't broken was his mask. He'd gone quiet.

"Very well. We will have to find another way to control him."

"There is no way to ensure that he is contained. His power is to great."

There was a silence as both men contemplated this thought.

"Dispose of him, then."

"How? You know that he may have cursed himself in case of his death - for revenge."

"Oh, you can figure something out. Leave him to the beasts."

"And if the knights get to him first?"

"They won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"They will have a very good lead in the opposite direction."

"I see. I will do as you wish then. Will you be wanting the remains as an example?"

"No, they may be cursed, for all we know."

* * *

_A couple days later._

Merlin was in chains again, but his time they went all the way around his body as they held him to the tree. He lacked the energy to fight them and succumbed to blissful unconsciousness.

Imagine the surprise of a certain young Seer as she wandered into a clearing deep in the forest only to find an old acquaintance of hers, looking rather battered and bound to an oak with what was clearly a set of powerful magical restraints. Then imagine her surprise, when instead of hurting Merlin, killing him, or even ignoring him, she found herself rushing to his side, lifting his head up gently, and holding back tears.

* * *

When Merlin woke up, he was in a hut. He was no longer in the chains, but he _was _in the cuffs. There were bandages wrapped around his ribs and arms although somehow many of his cuts had disappeared without a trace. _Magic, idiot._ Of course. _But who'd want to heal me with such powerful magic?_ This wasn't druids' work, and he knew of no one else...

The door opened and in walked in none other than Morgana Pendragon.

* * *

**Sorry for any OOC-ness, it will be back to normal... And Morgana's not ****_that_**** nice. There'll be more about Arthur and mergana... **

**If you don't like something (or like something), please review and tell me. Also, if you'd like to see something added in, I can try to do that, too. **

**Also, if anything is unclear (which I'm sure it is...), tell me more specifically what it is. Thanks!**


	3. Define Friend

**Ok, disclaimers: see first two chapters. **

**No warnings.**

**Morgana and Merlin are strange in this chapter... **

* * *

Morgana had no idea what to think. If someone had told her, before, that Merlin was a sorcerer, she would either have killed that person or started laughing. Now, it actually explained a lot. She was starting to wonder how she hadn't realized.

_Why didn't he tell me?_ Morgana could think of many reasons, but even so, she was angry. Except, well, she wasn't. Which in itself was surprising. She was used to spending most of her time being angry at someone or other lately.

So why not Merlin?

She snapped her fingers and the bundle of sticks and branches floated, following her as she walked into her hut, only to be met by a set of bright blue eyes staring at her.

He'd woken up.

"Why hello, Merlin." Morgana did her best to sneer, wincing at the hoarseness of her now rarely-used voice.

"Much better, my lady." Merlin looked uncomfortable, mirroring her wince as his ribs shifted. "Wh-why're you..." Now he looked uncomfortable for a whole other reason. Morgana suddenly found herself wanting to appease his worries. "Are you going to- to torture me, enslave me, kill me, or what?" He finally asked.

Morgana blinked. "Straight to the point, Merlin? Here I am, healing you and caring for you, and you go and-" She cut herself off when he let out a muted cry as his hand slipped off the bed and red blotches appeared through the bandages. The witch ran over and gently forced him back into a lying position. "Merlin- Merlin, you have to keep _still_." At the last word her eyes flashed gold and he instantly stopped moving.

He looked terrified, the fear drowning out the pain in his eyes. She turned away.

"Okay. Now I'll undo it, just please, don't move." Morgana had no idea why she was doing this. He betrayed her. He _poisoned _her. But- he was hurt. And for some reason she cared. Her eyes turned gold again and the invisible force holding him in place fell away.

He whimpered.

It sounded so wrong. _Pull yourself together. For your sister's sake._

"Shut up. Now!" His eyes widened. No wonder he was scared. _That's right, Merlin,_ Morgana thought to herself. "You will only speak when I tell you to, and only _move_ when I say you can. Understood? Good. Now talk. How come you're here. You don't want to disobey."

A tear slid down the newly-discovered sorcerer's hollow cheek and Morgana looked away for a minute again. She finally turned back. He nodded.

"We, we were just h-hunting, you know how these tales always start with us hunting?" Morgana glared at him. "Right, so we saw an- an old, abandoned castle. Well, it wasn't aband-" He was interrupted by a fit of wheezing that produced a few more tears. "It- it wasn't abandoned. And, I told the others to go, but I couldn't because I was injured, so they didn't want to, but I made them. With magic. I tr-transported them. Somewhere near Camelot."

"Go on."

Merlin looked at her. "They didn't realize it was me. Arthur- the King, he came back for me. And he saw the collar they used. When they- the people at the castle- they..." He was crying again. "They, tried to m-make me do stuff. For them. With magic."

Morgana stared at him, green eyes locked onto blue ones, the blue ones filled with agony, regret, fear, and sorrow, the green ones with amazement, anger? and compassion. "What did Arthur do?"

"He came, for me. But then he didn't know-" More tears. "I told him to kill me. I wanted him to k-kill me. But, he didn't. He just left."

And Morgana patted him on the head.

* * *

So very far away, and yet so painfully close, the young King was riding into Camelot with a couple knights.

* * *

**Tell me what you think. Next chapter there'll be more about Arthur and his side of the story. Also, Gwaine, Percival and Gwen. And sorry about any OOC-ness. :)**

**Again, anything you'd like to be added in... and I know it's a bit slow, but I promise there'll be more action in the next chapter. **


	4. More Friends

**I know! I'm sorry! But, hey! Next chapter!**

**Disclaimers: see other chapters. :)**

**No warnings.**

**Sorry about the choppiness. **

* * *

Percival and Gwaine were riding through the woods after a nice ling hunt. They'd ditched the latest servant a long time ago and decided to take a break, chasing each other and generally being a tad immature. It was hard to do anything interesting around Camelot and Arthur now, so they took all the chances they got.

It had changed... since Arthur hadn't been able to find Merlin in that fortress back then. When the knights had returned, Merlin and his abductors were long gone. So the King had become more withdrawn, more like Uther.

"Gwaine, come here," panted Percival.

"Sure, why? You wanna talk?"

"Right. Um, have you noticed that he's... off?"

"You mean Arthur?"

"Yes."

"Right, well, I guess, but what with..."

"Merlin?"

"Shut it."

Their fun little escapade turned sour pretty quickly.

A voice rang out over the sound of hoof beats "Percival! Gwaine! Are you there? Come on!"

"Gwen? Is that you?" Percival asked.

"Yes, what are you doing?" Gwen slipped off her horse and turned to them, "You left the poor Robert stan- Gwaine? Is everything all right?" He had a murderous expression on his face. "Oh. You've been talking about him, haven't you?"

No one answered.

"Come on, you know how that always ends."

"Yeah, but I just thought we should do something, seeing as how it's going to be a year, now, and Arthur's bound to, I don't know, explode."

"You may be right, Percival, but maybe... you should just leave him alone. Anyway, put on some bright smiles. He's gonna be here in a moment."

"Sure, Gwen." Gwaine spoke up, "It'll be fine, don't worry."

They all turned their heads when they heard a horse again.

"Hello, sire.

"Gwen!" He turned to look at the other two, "Gwaine, Percival."

"Arthur, sit down," Gwen patted the log.

He sat. Turning to the knights, "So you two ditched the serving boy?"

Right, in addition to the moodiness, he had started making more of a distinction between classes. The only thing keeping him from becoming his father, it seemed were his friends.

"Yeah, he was a real boot-licker." Gwaine smirked, or attempted to.

There was a pause.

"Um, do you want to go for a ride? You know, the usual looking for trouble... No supplies, protection... Come on, it'll be a nice relief from all the King stuff."

Arthur stared at him.

"Sure."

Gwaine stared back.

* * *

"Morgana?" The witch turned to look at him.

"Yes, Merlin?"

"I'm, I'm sorry." He coughed.

"Merlin?"

"I mean, it's my f-fault. Because I didn't tell you. So..."

"You're sorry?!" Morgana didn't know whether to yell, cry, or laugh. Merlin flinched. "You poisoned me, you betrayed me. You killed my sister, too, did you not?" She looked straight at the warlock again. He had tears in his eyes.

"Yes." His voice was barely audible.

"You- you- evil, little-"

"I'm so, so, sorry." He was full-on crying now.

"No, you're not. But you will be! You could have helped me!" Morgana's face showed pure fury, but inside, it was all she could do to keep herself angry. It didn't make sense; usually, it was enough for someone to sneeze, but now, Merlin's darkest secrets, his betrayals, everything he'd done- nothing was enough.

"I know." He looked down.

"Look at me!" She shoved him, and her hand came up red. She blinked. "Oh, my gods, are you all right? No, Merlin!" He jerked and spasmed a little.

"M-Morgana-"

"Shhh. Give me your hand." She took it without waiting for him to move. "Gelácne." Her knuckles turned white. "Come on, gelácne!" Morgana relaxed a bit when his body un-tensed.

"Sorry."

At that, Morgana did laugh. She laughed for several minutes. And when she saw his scared expression, she laughed even harder. Eventually, Merlin relaxed a bit.

"Um Morgana?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm better now."

"Are you? Really? Because, Merlin, I tried healing you before, and it didn't work all the way..."

"Um, I know. I was... putting up barriers. I was scared, of, them. And, you, um, when you got, mad, I thought you were going to- so... I took the barriers down."

"Let me get this straight. You took the "barriers" down because you wanted me to kill you?" Merlin nodded after a moment. "You know, I don't agree with my dear brother on many accounts, but you really are a moron."

Merlin blinked.

"So you say you're better?" Morgana smirked. "Good, then you can help me."

"Right..."

* * *

Arthur was riding up ahead with Gwen, Percival and Gwaine were in the back. They were about to find a place to set up camp, as it was almost dark, when Arthur suddenly motioned for them to dismount and keep quiet. They all stopped smiling when they heard the voices.

"...but the one thing I still don't understand is why?I mean, you had no reason to do it, do you? He may not kill you, but he's no friend of yours anymore, is he?"

"Morgana, he's not like Uther. He isn't- h-he-"

The Arthur, Gwen, and the knights exchanged scared looks.

"Stop! What did I tell you!? You're an idiot. All that 'I'm better' nonsense?It's just that! Nonsense! Come on, let's get back!"

What was going on here? Was Morgana actually concerned for someone?

"I don't want to, it's too small, can I stay outside? Please? I- it's like the- the place."

"All night? You want to stay there all night?" There was a pause. "Okay, all right, how about this, I'll stay with you, but you have to promise to stay warm. I'm not letting all that work go to waste."

Gwaine crawled closer to Arthur. "Sire, what in the five kingdoms?"

"Shut up. I don't know. We need to find out who the other one-"

"Let's go! Merlin!"

* * *

**So, again, tell me if you like/don't like/want something added, and I'll do my best.**

**Also, I'll update the other stories later. :)**


	5. Friends of Friends

**Disclaimers: you know what to do. **

**This is a weird chapter... **

* * *

_Arthur_

Merlin. Merlin! He was alive! And... was he working with Morgana? Were they talking about him? Merlin had said that he wasn't like Uther... What was that supposed to mean?

"Follow them."

* * *

Morgana looked at the sleeping Merlin. He was powerful- very. That much she knew, but she still wasn't satisfied with his explanation of why he served him. So, maybe he wasn't like Uther. But he still hated magic! Why wasn't Merlin angry? Arthur had left him in the hands of those vile men, left him to die, to be tortured. Only time could tell, she supposed.

* * *

Arthur looked on at the scene unfolding in front of him through the window: Morgana was sitting, staring at a sleeping (injured) Merlin. She didn't look on with hatred, or anger, or malice, but with hurt, and care, and with questions.

The King pulled at his hair. Gwaine would have told him that he'll end up like his father (bald), but not today. This day was so.. confusing and filled with so many emotions, that Arthur was numb.

He'd have to confront Merlin.

* * *

"Gwaine, Percival. Gwen? I think we need to talk to them."

Gwaine looked at him with incredulity.

"Sire, are you mad?"

"No. I can't just watch them-"

"Arthur, if he's being held by Morgana, then we need more knights! There is no way we can take her on. Even Gwaine isn't as rash as that." Percival tried to joke.

"Just- just trust me. All right?"

After a minute they all nodded.

* * *

The next morning, when Morgana opened the door, she was greeted by two angry knights and a.. King (Gwen was hidden away in the bushes, as Arthur had flat out refused to let her come).

"Merlin?"

"Yes?"

"You might want to see this. Can you walk here?"

"Sure. What's-" He stopped when he came out the door. "Oh."

Arthur stared at him. "How- how are you?"

It was Gwaine's turn to stare. "You bump into Morgana and _Merlin_ in the woods, and what you have to say is, 'how are you?'"

Merlin ignored him. "I'm doing better, thank you." He winced as Morgana glared at him. "I mean..."

"Arthur, dear, I think that you should be the one doing the explaining. Don't you?" Morgana took a step forward.

"Morgana."

The knights shared a look.

"Let him go."

She let out a bark of laughter. "See! I told you, Merlin, he is such a- so- how can you even...?"

"It's not like that. He's my-"

"What, friend? One who left you to die?" She spat.

"It wasn't like that," Arthur stepped in.

"Shut up." Morgana turned to Merlin. "You're one of us! You have no place under the rule of a Pendragon."

"Oh, like you're so much better, sister!" Arthur's face was white with fury.

"ARTHUR. MORGANA. STOP." Their mouths shut of their own accord. "Now, you two will listen if it's the last thing you do. Morgana: sure, it's my fault, and yeah, I made mistakes, I betrayed you, but you're my friend. I thought that was over... but... well, I have new hope. And you, Arthur, even though you really are an arrogant, ignorant, fool, you, too are my friend, even if you don't consider me one. So you two just stop it. Enough is ENOUGH." The siblings' mouths were released. "Not everything is about your personal, petty, little, dispute. Oh, and another thing. Good morning, Gwen."

The Queen peeked out from behind a tree not far away. "Merlin." She smiled.

He turned back to Morgana and Arthur. "Morgana, come on. Didn't you have something you needed me to do?" He walked past the stunned Gwaine, who would later swear he saw the warlock wink.

"Right, yes, I need this herb..." The Seer followed him and their voices were lost to the forest.

Arthur sat down.

So did Percival.

* * *

When Merlin returned some time with Morgana (but no herbs), they were still sitting. The two sorcerers were smiling: it seemed the old Merlin was really back.

The King stood up again when they came closer.

"Ah, Merlin. You know, Gaius may want to see you..."

"Are you telling me to come to Camelot?"

"Well, he's been fading away..."

"And what about Morgana?"

"What about her?"

"Do I need to repeat what I said before? Do you even realize, _Sire_, that I could level all your armies with a thought?" Merlin draped his arm over Morgana, whose instincts were again divided between cuddling closer and flinching away. She chose the former, resisting the urge to purr like a cat. He smiled. "So do you want us to come and visit in Camelot?"

Arthur and company stared in amazement.

"Er, right. Um. How did you even get here? I mean..." He turned to Morgana. "Did you heal him?"

"Yes, when he stopped being an idiot." Morgana took Merlin's hand and led him to the hut.

* * *

Gwaine came up to Arthur. "So, Merlin's a sorcerer, then?"

"Yes."

"Are you telling me you knew?"

"Yes."

Gwaine made Arthur face him by pulling on his shoulder. "Is it true? Did you see him, then , and just leave him? Was Morgana telling the truth?" He shook the King. "Well? Is it true?!"

"Yes. But- I- I couldn't... You don't know how much I regretted it!"

"You know, I thought I was wrong about you. I thought Merlin was right, that you were different. But you're not." He pushed Arthur and turned away.

"I- Gwaine, no! It's not..."

Gwen approached them. "You abandoned him." She stared at Arthur. "I would leave you, too, but see, Merlin, he's not like that. I'll stay, because I think he needs us. And because he would, for us. Gwaine, you should too."

"I will, too," added Percival from the side.

* * *

**As usual, tell me what you think. I'm probably going to add something bad in the next chapter, if there is one. :)**

**And if you think something needs to be added...**


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